(19)
(11) EP 2 644 083 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
19.03.2014 Bulletin 2014/12

(43) Date of publication A2:
02.10.2013 Bulletin 2013/40

(21) Application number: 13161961.1

(22) Date of filing: 02.04.2013
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
A61B 1/005(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR
Designated Extension States:
BA ME

(30) Priority: 30.03.2012 KR 20120033479

(71) Applicants:
  • Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Gyeonggi-do 443-742 (KR)
  • Massachusetts Institute Of Technology
    Cambridge, MA 02139 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Kim, Yong Jae
    Seoul (KR)
  • Cheng, Shan bao
    Cambridge, Massachusetts MA 02139 (US)
  • Kim, Sang bae
    Cambridge, Massachusetts MA 02139 (US)
  • Iagnemma, Karl
    Cambridge, Massachusetts MA 02139 (US)

(74) Representative: Bartelds, Erik et al
Arnold & Siedsma Sweelinckplein 1
2517 GK Den Haag
2517 GK Den Haag (NL)

   


(54) Variably flexible pipe and manipulator


(57) Disclosed herein is a variably flexible pipe including at least one flap member having variable flexibility and a tube formed of an elastically deformable material and accommodating the at least one flap member, and a manipulator having the same. The at least one flap member may include a plurality flap parts and a connection part to which one side of each of the plurality of flap parts is connected, and the tube changes pressure applied to the plurality of flap parts according to a controlled change of the inner pressure of the tube, thereby causing the variably flexible pipe to be effectively selectively maintained in a deformed state.







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